A writer has arrived in the Chinese entertainment industry.

"I know who she is." Dilraba held up her phone, as if she were on some top-secret reconnaissance mission, and excitedly handed it to the two of them.

The screen displayed Li Xian's Weibo profile. Dilraba pointed to the most recent posts and whispered, "Look, this person interacts with Ah Xian very frequently, replying to almost every single one."

Dilraba's slender fingers swiped across the screen, clicking into the girl's profile. Under one of her Weibo posts featuring a selfie in the sunlight, she found Li Xian's comment: "So beautiful I can't look directly at her."

"Hey—" the three of them exclaimed in unison.

"This person's name is... Zhong Chuxi?" Mao Xiaotong leaned closer to the screen and read out the name.

"Oh, I remember now," Reba said. "I've heard of her. She's the only one who switched from folk dance to acting, and she's quite famous at school."

"Not bad, Ah Xian, you managed to flirt with a beautiful woman without making a sound."

"Teacher Su, why don't you give him a call and ask where he is now?" Reba looked sneaky, as if she wanted to stir up trouble.

"Okay, okay."

Su Liu smirked, took out his phone, found Li Xian's number, and dialed it directly.

Across the street, the three stared intently at the cafe's huge floor-to-ceiling windows. Li Xian, who was sitting by the window, had taken off his mask and was talking to the girl opposite him, his face beaming like a chrysanthemum.

Just then, the three saw Li Xian take out his phone through the glass window, glance at the screen, and then answer the call.

"Hello, Teacher Su?" Li Xian's voice came through the phone, carrying an effort to maintain his composure.

Su Liu suppressed a laugh and asked in an extremely natural tone, "Ah Xian, where are you now?"

"Me? Where am I? I'm at school."

His reply almost made the three of them burst out laughing.

"Oh, really? Filming for 'Unnatural' is about to start. When are you coming back?"

"Don't worry, Ms. Su, I'll take care of some school matters and be there soon."

"Oh, I see." Su Liu suddenly raised his voice and said in an exaggerated tone, "What was the name of that Beijing Film Academy student you told us about last time, the one you really liked?" He even emphasized the words "Beijing Film Academy student".

Mao Xiaotong was overjoyed and was already patting Su Liu's shoulder like crazy.

Li Xian, standing inside the glass window, froze instantly. Then, his voice, almost breaking down, came through the phone: "What kind of person is that? When did I ever say that?!"

"You said that, you even said she was 'too beautiful to look at directly—'"

"Teacher Su, what are you talking about?"

"Oh, maybe I remembered it wrong."

"You definitely remembered it wrong!" Li Xian hurriedly hung up the phone, afraid that the girl on the other end would hear something.

Zhong Chuxi looked at him with some confusion: "Who is it?"

"The company boss."

"Oh, is that the famous author, Mr. Su, who directed 'Knives Out'?"

"Yes, that's him."

Zhong Chuxi lowered her head slightly, gently stirring the coffee in her cup with a small spoon. The milky white foam slowly diffused in the brownish liquid. She casually remarked, seemingly unintentionally:

"Ah Xian, you're a big star now."

"What big star? I'm far from that." Li Xian looked at her sincerely.

"By the way, isn't Dilraba from the same company as you?" Zhong Chuxi put down the small spoon in her hand and leaned forward slightly.

"Yes, they're all reviving culture."

"She's quite famous at our school now," she exclaimed. "She debuted in a movie, and her second role was as the female lead. This kind of treatment is an opportunity that many people can only dream of in their entire lives."

"It's...it's alright." Suddenly switching to this topic, Li Xian could only smile awkwardly and try to comfort her, "Chu tide, weren't you discovered by the company a couple of years ago when you were still in school? With your potential, you're bound to become a big star in the future."

"I was naive back then. Someone wanted to sign me, and I agreed without thinking much. Now it's too late to regret it."

"What's wrong? Is the company treating you badly?" Li Xian asked immediately with concern.

Zhong Chuxi chuckled lightly, "The company isn't anything special, it just doesn't have many resources. They've arranged some dramas for me that you've probably never even heard of, and I'm playing minor, insignificant roles. I barely get to show my face a few times a year."

"Well... that's how actors all start." Li Xian opened his mouth, wanting to say that he had also played minor roles, but he swallowed the words back.

"But you see, there's a huge difference in this industry. Some people are just lucky, you know?"

"You can't say that. Hard work and opportunity are both indispensable."

"Have I tried hard enough...?" She suddenly looked up at Li Xian, her gaze filled with an inexplicable intensity. "Xian, do you think I've tried hard enough?"

Li Xian answered almost without hesitation, "Of course, you are an exceptionally hardworking person in my eyes."

"So now, what I lack is opportunity."

"Don't worry, one day..."

"It's not like someday," Zhong Chuxi interrupted him.

"what?"

"Not someday, it's now." She stared straight into Li Xian's eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Ah Xian, is the casting for your company's drama still not finished?"

Li Xian immediately realized, "Yes, do you want to participate? I can take you to the audition."

Zhong Chuxi leaned back in her chair, a self-deprecating smile on her face. "Your casting director is holding open auditions over there. If I want to go, why shouldn't I go myself?"

"Chu tide, then what exactly are you...?"

"They're selecting minor roles for each unit over there, right?"

"Yes, President Su said that the casting for several main roles will not be made public this time," Li Xian replied truthfully.

"Then what's the difference between trying those things and what my current company arranges for me?" Zhong Chuxi said calmly, fiddling with the small spoon in her hand again.

Even if Li Xian was slow to understand, he finally grasped her meaning by this point.

But what could he do? There are only five main characters in "Unnatural," and even if you include the police officers who have more screen time, there are only six.

There are two female characters: forensic pathologist Chen Meiqin and pharmacy expert Lin Xi.

His mind was racing, trying to find a sentence that would make Zhong Chuxi feel that he genuinely cared for her, while subtly changing the subject away from this dangerous topic.

At that moment, the other person suddenly placed their hand on Li Xian's hand.

Li Xian, who had been rapidly crafting his thoughts, suddenly froze. He had been licking her hand for so long, but this was the first time he had ever touched it.

"Ah Xian, the female lead is definitely Dilraba, but as for the second female lead, could you ask your CEO Su for me?"